Mine
by Splash13
Summary: Warning! Major Fluff. When Morgana meets a charming waiter at her stepfather's cafe her life will never be the same again. Can she put her insecuities aside and learn to trust, or even love? Based on the song by Taylor Swift. M/M


Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin (if I did I wouldn't be bothering to write fanfics now would I?) it is owned by the BBC nor do I own the song Mine from which these lyrics are taken, that it owned by Taylor Swift.

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**Mine**

_Uh, uh, uh oh  
Uh, uh, uh oh_

_You were in college working part time waiting tables_  
_Left a small town, never looked back_  
_I was the flight risk with the fear of fallin'_  
_Wonderin' why we bothered with love if it never lasts_

Morgana sighed as she dropped herself into a chair in the corner of Uther's (her step father's) cafe. She was having one hell of a day, not only had she been forced to come to work on her day off but she'd also been giving the largest pile of divorce case records she'd ever seen by her legal teacher, on the anniversary of her parent's divorce and father's subsequent death. "How about that for poor timing?" she thought to herself grimly. "I wondered why people even bothered with love?" she mused "I mean, it's not like it ever lasts and all you achieve is pain and heartbreak at the end of it." She was suddenly brought out of her stupor by a voice just to her right asking "Can I take your order miss?" Turning towards the waiter she looked up at him to place her order of one skinny mocha and two slices of fruit toast when she found herself met with the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. They were amazing, a swirling mass of midnight and sky blue with flecks of gold, which sparkled with life as he smiled down at her. Blinking quickly she recovered herself and placed her order. Watching the look of concentration on the waiters beautiful pale face as he scribbled it down. Looking up at her again he smiled gently and replied that he would be back in a moment with her order and walked back to the rear door of the kitchen, Morgana's eyes following him as he went. Suddenly realising what she was doing Morgana shook herself, and attempted to look out the window instead. "What are you doing?" she reprimanded herself, "it would never work out anyway." She told herself firmly, however her eyes soon strayed back to the waiter the moment he exited the kitchen bearing her food. Glancing up at his nametag, which read _Merlin,_ she smiled at him thanking with a "Thank you Merlin" as he placed the plate and mug in front of her and walked away again. Smelling the wonderful aroma of fruit toast she realised just how hungry she was and quickly set herself to the task of devouring her lunch. She'd almost forgotten about Merlin when he came out to give her the cheque, almost. Reaching into her bag to retrieve her wallet she glanced at the bill to find to her surprise instead of the cost a hastily scribbled question; "Go out with me Friday night?". Looking up at Merlin she took in his awkward posture and shy smile. "Will you?" he asked and against her better judgement Morgana found herself agreeing.

_I say "Can you believe it?"  
As we're lying on the couch  
The moment I can see it  
Yes, yes I can see it now_

Friday night ticked around and Morgana found herself standing on the pier of Camber Sands beach near the fish and chip shop waiting for Merlin. She had come slightly early as she couldn't bear to pace around at home in a nervous frenzy any longer. This was Morgana's first date in a long time and she was understandably nervous. It wasn't like Morgana didn't get much male attention, far from it she probably attracted too much but she hadn't found anyone she felt particularly interested in in return. Merlin was different though. How? She wasn't sure but she hoped that she wasn't misguided in her decision. Looking up at the beach walkway she couldn't find it in herself to care anymore as Merlin strolled towards her, a white rose in one hand and his jacket in the other.

_Do you remember we were sittin' there by the water?  
You put your arm around me for the first time  
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
_

Their date had been going for a couple of hours and Morgana found that she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Merlin was smart, funny and she was finding, trustworthy. He just exuded this absolute sense of being genuine and she was finding it incredibly difficult to resist. They had talked about everything, her studies in law and his in medicine, their childhoods (good memories only) and even weather the bowl cut could be made cool (Merlin fervently maintained that it could). Finally they'd made their way to the end of the beach and were now sitting on the sand; Morgana wrapped in Merlin's jacket and Merlin with his arm around her watching the sunset as it fell across the channel. "Thank you Merlin", Morgana whispered as she turned to look at him. "What for?" he asked back, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "For making it worth it."

He didn't ask what she meant instead he simply cupped her cheek with his sandy hand, leant forward and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

_Flash forward and we're taking on the world together  
And there's a drawer of my things at your place  
You learned my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded  
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes_

Morgana was so excited, she moving into his, no she corrected herself, their flat today. She smiled and laughed as Merlin, who was unloading the car in the driveway succeeded in dropping a pile of books that had been perched on top of the box he was holding on his foot. Taking pity on him she walked over and helped him collect them. He was about to place several of them back into the box when she noticed him freeze and lift a photo frame out. "Is this your real dad?" he asked softly tapping the glass. Morgana nodded numbly a slight frown marring her brow as she took in the photo. It had been taken at a time before everything had been destroyed. "Yeah, this was taken on my ninth birthday before my parents separated" she said, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to hold back the tears and failed, a solitary drop sliding down her cheek. "Before your dad died." Merlin softly finished for her pulling her towards him into a hug. She cried out 12 years of suppressed pain into his shoulder, there in the driveway, as he softly stroked her hair whispering how he loved her and would never leave her like that. "Don't worry Morgs" he whispered to her "we'll never make their mistakes". She couldn't help but hope desperately that he was right.

_But we've got bills to pay  
We got nothing figured out  
When it was hard to take yes, yes  
This is what I thought about_

God, the bills were mounting already. They'd only been in their new house a couple of weeks and already they were pouring in. She tried not to worry about it too much. Merlin was due for his first promotion. After finishing college he'd almost immediately been given an offer at the local hospital and he had grabbed the opportunity. He'd quickly been acknowledged as an efficient and effective doctor and now his boss, Gaius was moving him to ER. Morgana too was expanding her career pathways with an interview with a legal branch in London that catered for underprivileged clients. Hopefully that would mean an increase in income but at the moment they had to scrape by on Merlin's earning from the public health sector. However as she sat down on the outside their new home watching as Merlin painted the side of the house, the sun glistening in his messy black hair and his muscles moving under his old t-shirt, she found she didn't worry so much. She and Merlin loved each other and though it was difficult they would make it work.

_Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?_  
_You put your arm around me for the first time_  
_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter_  
_You are the best thing that's ever been mine_

Sitting in front of the TV she smiled and looked down at his head laying in her lap. She remembered their first date, how nervous she'd been but he had calmed her instantly. He had made her trust him. Somehow this man had wormed his way into her heart where no other man could and made her love him. Leaning down she pressed her lips to his murmuring a soft "I love you" into his lips. Maybe, just maybe, they could make it forever.

_Do you remember all the city lights on the water  
You saw me start to believe for the first time  
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
_

They'd taken a rare day off from work and renovating the house to go to the lake for a picnic. As they walked along the foreshore Merlin turned to her and mentioned that he had something important to show her and she couldn't help but let her curiosity take her. She followed him as he walked to their paddle boat _Avalon_ which was moored on the shore. Climbing in, they paddle out to the centre of the lake. Suddenly Merlin made a sound of surprise and pointed over her should exclaiming "There, look Morgana". Quickly turning she surveyed the lake in excitement but saw nothing. Turning back to Merlin to ask him what he was on about she was greeted by an amazing sight. Before her Merlin sat holding open a blue velvet box, inside which lay a silver ring with a single diamond in the centre. Looking up into his eyes she found them asking her a single question. Launching herself forward she fell into his arms with an exclamation of "Yes".

_Uh, uh, uh, oh_

_And I remember that fight 2:30 AM_  
_Cause everything was slippin' right out of our hands_  
_I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street_

The bills were mounting and tensions were escalating, they wanted a family and yet they didn't even have the money for themselves. To top it all off the onset of the Global Financial Crisis meant that Morgana had been laid off, her employer, unable to pay many members of staff, had made cuts. The least experienced were the first to go. Arthur, Gwen and Morgause, Morgana's step brother, Merlin's friend and her step sister had all tried to lend a hand but there was only so much that they could do. Uther had also caused problems, after she agreed to marry Merlin instead of Valiant, the chauvinistic pig he had picked out for her, he had disowned her. All this also meant that the wedding had to be postponed. Finally all hell broke loose early one Wednesday morning. Merlin had come home late from another long sift in the ER and Morgana had been up waiting for him. All it took was for something as simple as the toaster breaking and all the tension exploded. They hadn't ever had such a bad fight before, it reminded Morgana of the fight her parents had just before they decided to separate. The realisation made her voice catch in the back of her throat and soon she was running, through the kitchen, out the door, across the yard and to the street.

_Braced myself for the goodbye  
Cause that's all I've ever known  
And you took me by surprise  
You said "I'll never leave you alone"  
_

She stood in the corner next to the white rose bush hugging herself waiting for the inevitable. As soon as he emerged from the house bedraggled with his shirt unbuttoned at the top she felt the dread pool in the bottom of her stomach. Here it comes, he would walk up to her and tell her that that was it, it was over and then he would leave her all alone. When he reached her she tried to turn away not wanting him to see as she broke down but he stopped her. He gently but firmly clasped her chin and brought her face to face his and then what he did surprised her. Instead of going into an angry tirade about how he never loved her at all he simply pressed his lips to hers in a loving yet passionate kiss which Morgana found herself returning. Pulling back he looked directly into her eyes and stroked her hair whispering the words she never thought she'd hear in this situation. "Morgana, I love you. I will never, ever leave you alone, okay?" she nodded, slightly still in shock before she fell into his, his arms encircling her, wiping all of her fears.

_You said  
"I remember how we felt sittin' by the water  
And every time I look at you it's like the first time  
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter  
She is the best thing that's ever been mine"  
_

"Morgs", he whispered into her hair. "Never doubt that I will always love you. How can I not when every time I look at you I think of that day on the beach when I first held you, first kissed you?" he said. "I know your childhood wasn't one of the happiest and I know things are difficult now but we will always have each other and that is the most important thing in this world. I love you so much Morgana, you are the best thing that's ever been mine."

_(Hold on, we'll make it last)_

The wedding day arrived and instead of being part of the crowd Morgana was front and centre, throwing the bouquet up into the air, laughing with Merlin's hand around her waist as Gwen caught it, tumbling into Arthur in her haste. _  
_

_(Hold on, never turn back)_

They lay in bed, Morgana stroking Merlin's bare shoulder as they discussed how Morgana's new job was working out and what colour to paint the baby's bedroom.

_(Hold on) You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
(Hold on) You are the best thing that's ever been mine_

They walked up the stairs, careful to tread quietly so as not to wake baby Freya as she slept in Morgana's arms. Quietly opening the door they made their way into the baby's room and Morgana gently placed her in the cot lovingly stroking the fluffy black hair forming on her head. She pulled back from the cot and found herself in Merlin's arms as he held her watching their baby sleep. "She's so beautiful", Morgana whispered to her husband "just like her mother", he replied, earning him and embarrassed slap on the arm from his wife.

(_Hold on) Do you believe it?_

Changing the beds became an hour long task with Frey and Leon. This was usually due to the pillow fights that occurred during the process like the one that had occurred this time. This time Morgana and the children were the victors and Merlin was left buried in a pile of pillows.

_(Hold on) We're gonna make it now_

At Leon's third birthday party Morgana and Merlin helped him blow out the candles together. As Morgana watched her husband deal out the slices of the sugar laden cake she reflected on just how luck she was. Catching his eye she cast him a look to let him know that she would be showing him just how lucky he was tonight.

_(Hold on) And I can see it  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)  
I can see it now (see it now)_

Morgana sat on the beach and admired the sunset as Merlin and the children played in the water by the peer. She revelled in the feeling of her fingers buried in the sand, the lapping of the water at her toes and the soft, salty sea breeze that blew through her hair. Watching her family in the surf she thought back to a similar time on the same beach ten years ago. A time when a girl with a fear of falling met the man who set out to prove to her that love is worth is because it can really last, and do you know what? He succeeded.

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Okay, sappy I know but I needed something to save me from frustration between episodes!

N e way... REVIEW, preaty please.


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